The present invention relates generally to a tree stand for use by outdoorsmen as elevated platforms. More particularly, the present invention deals with a tree stand having a retractable, conforming seat.
Outdoorsmen such as hunters, naturalists, and photographers use tree stands to gain an elevated vantage point to pursue their vocations, as well as avocations. However, outdoorsmen need a stable platform that is substantially free of instability during use, is comfortable, and portable. Moreover, salability of tree stands demands that manufacturing costs be low so that the resulting product can be attractively priced in the retail market.
Various designs for tree stands are known which assist an outdoorsman in concealing himself from wildlife in an elevated position to minimized disturbance of the natural surroundings of game animals and observation subjects. Numerous patents involving a variety of construction techniques for platforms attachable to a tree are, of course, known. Many of those devices do not have a seat, unless the base platform is used as such. U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,130,180 and 4,168,765 both issued to Ferguson et al., 4,427,092 issued to Tentler, 4,597,473 issued to Peck, and 4,942,942 and 5,016,733 both issued to Bradley, are examples of tree stands and tree climbing devices which do not have separately defined seat areas.
Certainly, it will be appreciated that outdoorsmen using tree stands for extended observation periods will tire of standing and prefer to sit. Recognizing this elementary fact, a variety of tree stands have also been designed having seats of different characteristics. A tree climber having a simple bar as a seat is illustrated in U.S. Pat. No. 3,856,111 issued to Baker, while a seat fashioned from a flat narrow plate is depicted in U.S. Pat. No. 4,230,203 to Sweat et al. Other designs and constructions for seats in tree-climbing devices are also known. For example, a seat fashioned from crossed rods arranged in an open pattern (see U.S. Pat. No. 3,960,240 issued to Cotton), heavy gauge screen (see U.S. Pat. No. 4,452,338 issued to Untz), and other planar grid-like arrangements (see U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,316,526 and 4,331,216 both issued to Amacker, and U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,953,662 and 5,167,298 both issued to Porter) are also known. Planar seats made of wood and other materials are also known (see U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,244,445 issued to Strode, 4,137,995 issued to Fonte, and 4,987,972 issued to Helms).
Various designs for a flexible seat are also known. Flexible seat material has been arranged with side to side suspension (see U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,321,983 issued to Nelson, and 3,485,320 issued to Jones), as well as in front to rear suspension (see U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,871,482 issued to Southard, 3,955,645 issued to Dye, 4,475,627 issued to Eastridge, 4,787,476 issued to Lee, 4,802,552 and 4,890,694 both issued to Williams, 4,813,441 issued to Kepley, and 4,474,265 issued to Shinkle). Padded seats have also bee proposed for tree stands and climbers (see U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,417,645 issued to Untz, and 4,474,265 issued to Shinkle). The seats of some tree stands are designed to fold away from the platform area (see U.S. Pat. No. 4,475,627 to Eastridge, for example).
One problem associated with known tree stands concerns their portability. Naturally, a tree stand must be sufficiently light that an outdoorsman can readily transport it into wooded areas without tiring. It is common for hunters to carry their tree stand for distances of several miles before positioning the stand in a suitable tree. Considering that a person can comfortably carry up to 35% of his weight, and recognizing that hunters usually carry a rifle or shotgun weighing 7 to 10 pounds, tree stand weight needs to be confined to the range of 10 to 15 pounds.
In use, outdoorsmen frequently occupy their tree stand for many hours waiting for game animals to appear as targets for cameras and weapons. To be successful, the outdoorsman needs to be as motionless as possible regardless of the light conditions, and the weather conditions. It is, therefore, important that the tree stand have a seat which will not make the outdoorsman uncomfortable. Seats of the known tree stands are deficient in this respect. Rigid seats, and planar seats are particularly uncomfortable during long periods of use. Even seats which are flexible but which are suspended side-to-side from structural elements of the stand are uncomfortable since the cylindrical contour of the seat does not conform with the occupant's anatomy. Even flexible seats which are suspended front-to-rear have the same problem. Moreover, seats suspended front-to-rear are typically suspended between transverse bars, one of which underlies the outdoorsman's thighs when seated. Such location of a transverse bar restricts blood circulation in the legs during long periods of quiet sitting, causing the legs to "go to sleep", or become abnormally cold, or otherwise be uncomfortable. Accordingly, the outdoorsman tends to move around in the seat generating noise that can signal his presence to the outdoorsman's quarry.
Other seat arrangements have planar supports with and without padding. Such seats also become uncomfortable in use since human anatomy of the buttocks generates pressure points. Those pressure points tend to become uncomfortable when the outdoorsman occupies the tree stand for extended periods of time. As a result, simple padded seat designs are also unsatisfactory.
Another problem experienced by outdoorsmen using tree stands is the awkward and potentially dangerous situation that exists when the outdoorsman stands up on the tree stand and the seat surface interferes with his movement on the stand. Being in an elevated location that can be 20 to 30 feet above the ground, being confined to a platform with a surface area of a few square feet, and managing a combination of items such as binoculars, cameras, lenses, rifles, lunches, and clothing, dangerous situations readily present themselves.
Accordingly, it is among the objects of this invention to overcome that type of problems in the prior art tree stands and tree climbers.